Elevator Call Panel With Touchless Intent Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing elevator control panels require full replacement or costly customization to implement touchless operation, which is inefficient and time-consuming, often needing skilled experts.
Innovation Solution
A multi-input call panel that integrates a touchable and touchless interface, using sensors to detect user intentions by establishing a correspondence between sensor readings and button presses through a probabilistic classifier trained on-site, allowing retrofitting of existing panels without full replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If full replacement of existing button-based control panel with touchless sensors is implemented, then touchless operation capability is improved, but system cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges touchless sensor input with the existing button panel by placing sensors in proximity to each button. The sensor readings are correlated with button positions through application programming, allowing the system to recognize touchless gestures that correspond to specific button presses without replacing the physical panel structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The existing button panel serves dual functions: it continues to operate as a traditional tactile interface while simultaneously serving as a reference framework for the touchless sensor system. The same physical panel structure supports both contact-based and contactless operation modes, making the system multi-functional without requiring separate components.
2Ease of operation
If customization of control panel for touchless operation is performed through application programming, then touchless capability is improved, but deployment time and expertise requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a virtual representation of the physical button panel layout within the sensor processing software. Each sensor reading is mapped to corresponding button coordinates, effectively copying the button panel's spatial arrangement into the digital domain. This allows touchless gestures to be interpreted as button presses without requiring complex custom programming for each installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses parameter changes in sensor readings (such as threshold values for gesture detection and correlation parameters for matching gestures to buttons) to adapt to different button panel configurations. By adjusting these parameters rather than rewriting the entire system, deployment becomes faster and requires less specialized expertise.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If touchless sensors are used to detect user input, then hygiene and disease prevention are improved, but physical button functionality is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The control panel dynamically switches between touchless and tactile operation modes based on user needs and environmental conditions. The same physical infrastructure supports both interaction methods, allowing the system to adapt its operational characteristics rather than being locked into a single mode. This dynamic capability preserves physical button functionality while enabling touchless operation when hygiene is a concern.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient, cost-effective, and intuitive operation of elevators with both touchable and touchless interfaces, reducing deployment time and expertise requirements while maintaining user familiarity and hygiene during touchless operation.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor arranged to sense motion in proximity to the touchable interface
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-input call panel for controlling an operation of an elevator system, is disclosed. The multi-input call panel includes a touchable interface associated with a plurality of touchable inputs arranged at different locations on the multi-input call panel; a touchless interface including a processor configured to receive readings of a sensor detecting motion in proximity to the touchable interface and executing a probabilistic classifier trained to output a probability of correspondence of the received readings with an intention to touch one or multiple touchable inputs from the plurality of touchable inputs; and a controller configured to control the operation of the elevator system according to a control command associated with a touchable input of the plurality of touchable inputs when the touchable input is touched on the touchable interface, the classifier outputs the probability of the intention to touch the touchable input above a threshold or both.